


Stars of our own design

by daraenss



Series: Deep blue skies and a promise [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Champion Dande | Leon, Constellations, Insecurity, Insight, Late at Night, M/M, One Shot, Promises, Stars, TrueRivalShipping, they haven't realized they are in love, they like to be together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:08:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26291641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daraenss/pseuds/daraenss
Summary: As Leon was making his way to Wyndon, he got lost as per usual. Hammerlocke had always been a precious place to him, especially at night. In an attempt to get out of the city by himself, he ends up finding Raihan watching the stars, and joins him to share some time together.
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Kibana | Raihan
Series: Deep blue skies and a promise [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2095716
Comments: 4
Kudos: 54





	Stars of our own design

**Author's Note:**

> English is not my first language, so there might be some mistakes. Enjoy this short one shot that I've been writing for some time!!

The thrilling excitement of the Pokémon battles was nothing compared to the tranquility and peace that Leon felt during the night. In different circumstances, he would gladly enjoy the breeze stroking his skin softly, but this time, he knew he had screwed up. He was supposed to go directly to Wyndon after that day’s match, yet he somehow managed to get lost in the way.

Route 10, Wyndon, Wild Area… All the big words were on screen at the train station, and he still didn’t see them. In his mind, he thought everything was okay, because he had gone to Wyndon plenty of times, so it wouldn’t matter if he paid attention to the eager fans who wanted to talk to him and ask for his autograph. _There was no problem,_ he thought, but there definitely was a problem. He was pants with directions.

After going out of the station, he didn’t see the modern and tall buildings that decorated Wyndon in all its glory. He didn’t even see the ferris wheel or the bridge, not to mention that Wyndon Stadium was nowhere to be found. His eyes suddenly caught sight of those old but elegant castle walls, and the city’s middle aged look was recognizable at best.

“How did I end up in Hammerlocke...?” Leon asked himself.

If it was easy for him to get lost in the vibrant city of Wyndon, even with its different colors, distinct streets and many meetup points; it was not hard to say that in Hammerlocke, surrounded by the castle walls and obscure avenues, he was prone to be disoriented.

He tried making his way out of the city himself, since he didn’t want to bother Charizard so late at night. He wasn’t sure which way he had to go, yet he remembered some stairs in the entrance. As he walked through the city, he saw some stairs. Gotcha! He KNEW he wasn’t pants with directions.

_But he was._

He didn’t realize until later that he didn’t go out of the city, he just climbed the stairs that lead him to the upper part of the castle, near the Hammerlocke vault.

The first thing he saw was the starry sky that immediately caught his attention. The way the stars painted the dark, dismal night, and made it seem like the Milky Way could be caught with the palm of his hand, had always been fascinating to Leon. And it seemed that he wasn’t the only one enjoying the view. The tall silhouette of a familiar man sticked out, and Leon just stared at him for a few seconds, in silence. What was Raihan doing there, so late at night? And why did he have such a nostalgic expression on his face?

Slowly, Leon approached his rival, who was sitting on the edge of the castle wall, looking at the horizon, lost in thoughts, and carrying a little telescope with him. He standed beside him, letting the wind blow his hair and his cape.

“Do you need something?” Raihan asked, without looking at him. “Our match is tomorrow, you’re a little early. Or maybe _too_ early.”

“What are you doing here?” Leon replied with another question. “It is also late for you.”

Raihan stared at Leon. It was obvious that he was trying to hide that melancholy behind his usual, stupid smile. Leon noticed this, but he didn’t say anything at the time.

“I was looking at the stars.” Raihan said, raising his telescope for his rival to see.

“And did you find something interesting?” Leon smiled. Doing a little jump, he sat beside Raihan on the edge of the castle wall, looking interested at the sky with that oblivious innocence of his.

At first, Raihan didn’t say anything. He was so busy looking at Leon, staring with tender eyes at the joy he radiated that could melt anyone’s heart, including his. After a while, he sat closer to Leon, close enough that he could feel his warmth.

“Scutum, also known as the Shield constellation,” Raihan said, giving him the telescope and pointing to the sky. “It’s a bit hard to see with bare eyes, but this telescope does the job.”

Leon didn’t waste any time; he took the telescope and immediately looked at the sky through the lense. Raihan helped him point the telescope to the right direction, describing how the constellation looked like, so he could find it. When he did, his smile widened and his eyes shone like the same stars he was looking at. Raihan gulped, did Leon always look that bright? In that moment, in Raihan’s eyes, he was like the Sun, simply dazzling. He could see the Sun during the night.

The champion shook him out of his thoughts when he stared at him, with the most brilliant and genuine excitement Raihan had ever seen in his life.

“I didn’t know you liked the stars,” Leon said. “I mean, you’ve never posted a pic of the sky or something like that.”

“I do like them,” Raihan replied “Especially when I’m not feeling well.”

“Oh?” Leon frowned, worried. “Are you sad right now? But why?”

Raihan looked any other way, not wanting to make eye contact with Leon who was asking too many questions. It’s not like he was uncomfortable, he just wasn’t used to people actually caring about him. Most of the time, he was just the popular internet guy, the dragon-type gym leader or, simply, Leon’s rival. No one cared about the feelings of the man behind those titles, so he just found his own personal shelter under the starry sky. Leon, however, wasn’t a person who would give up that easily. Even if they were rivals, he still saw him as a close friend and ally, so seeing him say those things made him even more eager to find the truth.

“Raihan,” Leon said after a while “What’s your favourite constellation?”

His words managed to take Raihan back to Earth. Even if he didn’t say anything, Leon knew that he was getting too carried away by his thoughts and was worried about what he might be thinking. Raihan looked at him and took the telescope from his hands, pointing at the sky.

“It’s called Draco, or the Dragon,” Raihan replied, giving him the telescope so he could see it himself. “It’s very big, but it doesn’t have any particularly bright stars. Perhaps it reminds me of someone I know very well.”

Leon looked excitedly to the sky, wanting to find the new constellation he was telling him about. However, his words made him realize he was talking about himself—was he really saying he wasn’t bright at all? He put the telescope on his lap and stared directly into his eyes, wanting to find the truth that was lying behind the crystal clear reflection in his look. Nonetheless, no matter how hard he looked at him, he could not get through that barrier that Raihan created himself. It’s like he was maintaining his feelings locked in a cage inside his heart.

“I… I see…” Leon looked up to the sky. Maybe they could tell him all the feelings Raihan was bottling up. “Er, is it true that Champion Lance sent you an invitation to try to be the Champion at their league? I think you should go, I mean, you’re the best trainer I know and—”

Leon stopped talking when he heard Raihan grunting. Did he say something that Raihan didn’t want to hear?

“I won’t go,” Raihan replied, somewhat annoyed. “I’m staying here and I will beat you, Leon.”

“But you could be the Champion like you always wanted—!” Leon’s voice was almost desperate. That must be the brilliance Raihan was looking for, or so he thought. After seeing his eyes again, it was like if a door opened—a door to his heart. “Wait… you do not want to be the champion, right?”

Raihan simply smiled. That damned smile of his that tried to hide all his thoughts and feelings that were slipping through him. He felt free that moment, given the option to talk about his worries to someone who could listen, not like the sky. Someone real. Someone who was really curious about himself—about the real Raihan, the one who wasn’t hiding behind a pretty photo or a feral attitude during a match. The one who sat in the castle walls, alone, thinking about nothing and everything at the same time.

“It’s not fun to be the Champion if I don’t beat you, Leon.” Raihan said, looking at the sky and smiling. “It’s not fun if you’re not there to see me become a Champion.”

“So… you just want to beat me, huh.” Leon laughed, unable to take his eyes off him. “That’s nice, coming from you. I thought you just wanted to become the Champion, but this really is about us, isn’t it?”

“I guess,” Raihan said, trying to be tough. Still, Leon noticed how Raihan’s muscles tensed when smiling. Unlike his previous smile, that was a genuine expression of happiness. “It really is about us. It would not be the same if it was a different champion, you know.”

Leon could feel the warmth taking over his chest and how his cheeks blushed at his words. He had heard nice things from many people in his life, too many to count, but when Raihan said them, it felt different. Maybe it was because they were close friends, or maybe because the way the Moon shone upon him made him look majestic, like a knight in shining armor. He couldn’t take his eyes off; he didn’t want to miss anything. Even the way the wind was blowing his hair felt soft like a cloud, warm like summer and real as they were. In that moment, they weren’t those competitive rivals that were seen on TV, saying those scripted and dramatic sentences that had the masses at the edge of their seats. They just were two lonely people who enjoyed the other’s company, embracing it and not wanting to let the other go.

For a long time, Leon had feared that he was also crushing Raihan’s dream. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time he destroyed a rival’s goal, as he ruined Sonia’s ambitions when she was a trainer. He, too, was also scared; and didn’t want Raihan to quit battling after losing so many times. But that conversation was lifting up his spirits because Raihan wasn’t giving up. He was willing to lose more battles, just because he wouldn’t want to be another person’s rival. Raihan was happy battling him, and he felt the same way. Raihan was the only one who could make the adrenaline flow into his veins.

He was ideal for him, in and outside of the battles.

“Hey, Raihan,” Leon said after some time, looking at the sky with him and resting his head on his shoulder. “Is there a constellation that reminds you of me?”

“So now you’re interested in the stars.” Raihan replied sarcastically.

“It’s just that… you like them,” Leon said, snuggling in his neck. “And I like the things that you like.”

Raihan stared at him for a few seconds. Even in the night, he was shining brightly. He passed his arm behind his back, under the cape, to rest his hand on his shoulder.

“There is one, it’s Leo, the lion.” He pointed to the sky with the help of the telescope. “It was known as the King Star, and it represents fire and royalty. I think it fits you perfectly.”

Leon was, once again, interested in finding the constellation Raihan was talking about. He didn’t know anything about stars, but the fact that Raihan had thought of him when looking at the sky—his own personal shelter— made his heart flutter with excitement. Now, when he stared at the sky during the night, he would think of Raihan— the most shining star in the firmament.

“I see.” Leon nodded, happy to be in the sky that Raihan so desperately sought. A ring from his phone was enough to distract him. “Oh?! I didn’t even look at the time. Oleana is gonna kill me for being late!”

With a jump, he landed on the floor of the castle, but didn’t leave Raihan’s side. He would never do that.

“So, tomorrow’s our match!” Leon said, raising his fists with a smile. “You know, I won’t go easy on you, so don’t expect mercy from Charizard or me!”

Raihan laughed. He was glad to talk about something that he was used to, but he kinda missed his warmth against his skin.

“My partner and I will turn you to dust,” Raihan replied with confidence. “And I will be there to record your loss.”

Leon was happy to be able to confirm that Raihan wasn’t giving up. Enjoying that friendly rivalry meant a lot for him, knowing that they were still friends even during the loneliest nights. Being the Champion was a thorny position where, at any given moment, the people he trusted could stab him in the back. Having Raihan by his side made everything more manageable.

“I will be looking forward to that!” Leon said. He turned around to leave, but there was still something buzzing his mind. After some minutes of silence, he looked at Raihan one more time. “Rai, can I ask you something about the stars?”

“Sure.”

“Is there… a star that reminds you of the two of us?”

“Hm?” Raihan blinked, not expecting that question at all. “I… I think I don’t have one…”

“I see.” Leon approached him, looking up to the firmament. “Raihan, when this is all over… Let’s become a constellation together.”

Raihan stayed in silence for quite a few seconds, feeling his cheeks blush and his feelings knocking the door in his chest. Who would have thought that such a cheesy request, proposed by the guy who was his rival, would make him feel so happy? It was stupid and silly, yet his heart was dancing to the most beautiful song he had ever listened to—his voice.

Leon, without warning, intertwined his fingers with Raihan’s; who, to break the ice, just laughed.

“That’s silly.” Raihan said.

Leon couldn’t resist it either, and laughed alongside Raihan, gripping his hand tightly and warmly. He was so happy to be there. Getting lost had never been that relaxing to him.

“I know, I know,” Leon replied when he was able to calm down. “That’s not possible.”

“ _But I do._ ” Raihan said immediately, with the most serious look in his eyes.

“Y-you what?” His change of attitude caught Leon off guard.

“ _I do want to become a constellation with you._ ”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! This one shot is a gift for a person dear to me.  
> I have always loved seeing when people write about Raihan's soft side; we see a lot of his feral side but on the inside he's still a person with his own set of issues. And I also love to see more of his friendly rivalry with Leon—they're rivals, but Raihan had always seen Leon as a modern hero, and it seems that they're on good terms overall.


End file.
